Text|Aomori
Editor|Zhouzhou Film and Television Entertainment Review
When you think of People's Artists, what comes to mind?
Is it both virtue and art, for the country and the people?
There is such an "old artist".
When he was young, he also starred in "Red Detachment of Women" directed by Xie Jinda.
Play as Wu Qionghua, a revolutionary female warrior.
Because of the performance of this film, she also won the "Queen" of the first Hundred Flowers Award in one fell swoop.
Such a "red and dedicated" veteran actor who has made important contributions to the construction of party culture.
After that, she did not stay in China, but settled in the United States with her husband.
For a while, rumors spread, and her character was controversial.
But after she returned to China, the direction of public opinion immediately improved.
Why is that?
What did she do, and what skills did she have to make the reputation better?
01 Born "Red"
Since Zhu Xijuan can catch up with the red tide of the times, it means that she was born early.
She was born in 1938 in Ganzhou, Jiangxi.
At that time, it was only a year after the July Seven Incident.
The Yan'an base area has just emerged.
In that war-torn era, everyone was tense.
It's impossible to know in advance what the future outcome will be.
Zhu Xijuan's parents are both cultural people.
His father, Zhu Yuanqing, was a professor at Tongji University.
Because Tongji was involved in the war, he went from Nanchang to Ganzhou.
After that, he devoted himself to the anti-Japanese war vocational education and really contributed to the anti-Japanese war.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, various industries were in ruins.
His daughter Zhu Xijuan is dignified and beautiful because of her appearance.
At the age of 14, he was selected by his father's old acquaintance to be a young actor.
starred in "Blessing for the Children" directed by Zhao Dan.
This shooting experience is very special for her.
Although he only played a secondary role in a class in it, he still planted the fire for Zhu Xijuan to be an actor.
Five years later, Zhu Xijuan was admitted to the Shanghai Theater Academy with all her strength.
When she was in the play, she embraced "acting" with hope and enthusiasm and planned for the future.
He also joined the drama troupe that went to the theater.
started from being familiar with acting in dramas, and moved step by step towards her dream of being an actor.
Because of her excellent acting skills and good image and temperament, soon her opportunity to be on the big screen came again.
02 Appeared in "Red"
In 1961, "Red Detachment of Women" directed by the famous director Xie Jin was recruiting actresses.
tells the story of a girl named Wu Qionghua in Hainan, who transformed from a slave under the landlord Nan Batian to a female warrior in charge.
Director Xie Jin read the script in one breath at that time, and had a thought in his heart about the casting of the heroine:
"Wu Qionghua must have a pair of hot big eyes!"
When filming really started, after interviewing N actresses in a row, Xie Jin was a little disappointed.
The actresses do have a lot of eyes, but they don't have the "hot" feeling he wants.
"I didn't expect it to be so difficult to find these eyes."
Xie Jin complained in a letter to Liang Xin, a soldier who resisted US aggression and aided Korea:
"In search of these big eyes, I searched almost all over the east, west, north and south."
Later, when he was depressed, he was invited by a friend to go to Shanghai to watch the students perform the drama "In a Day of Peace".
Zhu Xijuan met his eyes at that time.
is obviously a weak woman, but her spirit is not weak at all when facing a tall and strong male classmate.
It seems to be a bit similar to his ideal "hot and big eyes".
But Xie Jin didn't immediately decide to choose her.
Instead, he visited Zhu Xijuan repeatedly and observed her for more than a month.
Whether it was rehearsal, class, or class, Zhu Xijuan's demeanor was seen by Xie Jin.
After that, I was relieved to invite her.
The film was filmed in Hainan and was to be shot on an island with backward living conditions.
During the day, the temperature is not only extremely high, but also infested with insects and ants.
Zhu Xijuan is indispensable to adapt to the environment before shooting.
At that time, the crew also specially invited soldiers of the People's Liberation Army and retired female soldiers who participated in the revolution to teach the actors.
No matter how bitter and tired she was, Zhu Xijuan carried it without saying a word.
proved with her strength that she is a well-deserved first heroine!
After many efforts, as soon as the film "Red Detachment of Women" came out, it was already destined to be recorded in the history of Chinese film.
This film has won many awards in the "Hundred Flowers Award".
As soon as it was released, it caused a sensation, and almost two-thirds of the people in the country flocked to the theaters.
Even in remote villages, the film selected by the national public welfare screening project is also this film.
03 Meritorious red
Zhu Xijuan, who was 24 years old at the time, also reached the pinnacle of her life with "Wu Qionghua".
set an amazing record that is difficult for other actors to break.
became China's first actress.
After that, there were more and more film appointments.
"Burning the Plain", "Ah! Red drama movies such as "Cradle" and "Ode to the Silver Needle under the Shadowless Light" are Zhu Xijuan's "specialties".
Her performance is vivid and very real.
And it is adjusted according to the personality characteristics of each character, and there will be no feeling of "acting like a person".
From an obscure little drama actor to a classic and immortal "red goddess".
Zhu Xijuan, together with many people, has unremittingly carried forward the red film culture.
At the same time, she was also rated as one of the "Top 22 Movie Stars of New Chinese Films" by the Ministry of Culture.
At that time, she also met her husband Hou Fengmin.
He was a painter specializing in oil and gouache.
At that time, I would often draw some promotional newspapers or storyboards for movies.
That's how the two got acquainted and walked together.
With the spring breeze of reform and opening up, the land of China is blowing.
Zhu Xijuan, who is over half a hundred years old, gradually became unsuitable for being active on the big screen, and began to turn to behind-the-scenes development.
I also went to Shenzhen, which had just been designated as a special economic zone.
He was appointed deputy director of Shenzhen TV Station and director of the Television Art Center.
At that time, unlike now, the conditions were quite backward.
In terms of TV programs, the mainland has no clue compared with Hong Kong on the other side.
So from the construction of the department to the selection and arrangement of the program, Zhu Xijuan has never been idle.
Under her planning and leadership, as well as screenwriters, TV media films such as "Male Citizens" starring 20,000 engineers and "Charming Young City" of Shenzhen culture propaganda film have come out one after another.
Its merits and achievements are unquestionable.
04 Red Passes America
In the 90s, the USSR collapsed.
The only superpower that can compete with the United States has not escaped the fate of corruption.
The United States suddenly became the focus of the world.
The "American Dream" became a hot topic, and at the same time caused a wave of immigration.
Zhu Xijuan and her husband also stepped into the United States at that time.
But she didn't want to be American.
Rather, they want to "do American business."
After arriving in Los Angeles, she opened a "Qionghua Film and Television Art Company" with Haoyou.
Zhu Xijuan personally served as CEO.
She re-emerged, not only as a behind-the-scenes person, but also began to participate in some plays.
For example, starring Song Dandan and Liu Xiaofeng, "100 Broadway", which tells the troubles of new immigrants, has her participation.
It turns out that Zhu Xijuan's vision is really good.
With the advent of the millennium, color televisions began to enter thousands of households.
With the media, the film and television entertainment industry is developing rapidly.
All kinds of divine films, divine comedies emerge in endlessly.
At that time, she starred in the high-scoring historical drama "Ming Dynasty 1566" by the talented Liu Heping.
This drama is very particular about casting, plot, shooting, and service.
It is a work that gathers the efforts of countless people.
It's a pity that it's not well-known because it's too serious.
In the decades since, Zhu Xijuan has not given up acting.
In the 10s, she was present in plays such as "Men Are Not Bad" and "Red Love Song".
Year after year, spring, summer, autumn and winter passed.
Unknowingly, Zhu Xijuan has also settled in Los Angeles with her husband for decades.
Every time she returns to China to film, it is a rare relaxation for her.
The first is that the American diet is not as good as that of China.
As soon as you come back, it is a "gluttonous feast".
Labor there is also very expensive, whether it is repairing household appliances or eating out, in addition to the service fee, you also have to tip.
What the United States does not have and cannot do, China can give her.
But at the same time, the United States also has more convenient places than China.
Just between China and the United States, Zhu Xijuan "repeatedly jumped sideways".
Like a ballerina, trying to find a balance.
Even at the age of seventy or eighty, Zhu Xijuan still remembered "home".
Thinking about the place where she was born and raised.
Every time I wake up, I feel countless nostalgia.
This deep feeling really made her scratch her bones.
Eventually, after discussing with his family, he returned to China.
It is still a bit difficult for an old man in the last century to face China's rapidly changing society.
But no matter how old or young she is, Zhu Xijuan's love for research has not stopped.
Actively discuss and exchange acting with old friends and younger generations.
In 2012, he starred in the comedy movie "Leaping Over the Nursing Home".
Two years later, he won the "Virtue and Art Shuangxin Lifetime Achievement Award".
In 2021, Zhu Xijuan, the positive energy movie "No Abduction in the World", also participated.
To this day, she continues to participate in movies and TV series.
Some people are puzzled why so much honor should be given to a person who lives abroad.
They said that Zhu Xijuan admired foreign flattery and should be boycotted.
But this is a bit too extreme.
Although Zhu Xijuan has lived in the United States for many years, her nationality has always been Chinese!
In the face of an old man who is nearly 100 years old and has never forgotten the motherland, what we should do is to admire rather than denigrate.
epilogue
Whether it is the last century or the modern era, many people choose to emigrate abroad.
But this does not mean that China is bad, or that they are "unpatriotic".
The development of QR code payment technology and express delivery and other industries in mainland China is far ahead of the world.
Many countries still need to bring a wallet when they go out, and they can't wait for the express delivery to come for ten days and half a month.
It can only be said that everyone has their own pursuits and stories.
How many people still have to leave their hometowns to work and survive.
Zhu Xijuan no matter where she lives, her heart is always in the motherland.
That's enough.
Some references:
1. China's first "actress": Zhu Xijuan2013-12-23
2. Tencent Entertainment|TV series "Keeping Marriage" gathers big names and positive energy is inspirational2018-11-12
3. Global Network|Analysis of the short "flowering period" of Chinese actresses, Ye Dexian is currently about zero (picture)2018-11-12